JORDANVILLE, NY: September 1, 2011On the Feast Day of SS Florus and Laurus, the Primate of the Russian Church Abroad Heads Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Monastery Cathedral

On Wednesday, August 31, 2011, the feast day of SS Florus and Laurus, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, prayed during midnight office at 5 am at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Jordanville, NY, after which he officiated at Divine Liturgy. He was joined by Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, the monastic priests and visiting clergymen. At the customary time of Divine Liturgy, the First Hierarch ordained Subdeacon Philosoph Ullman of the Canadian Diocese to the rank of deacon.

After the service, His Eminence headed a commemorative litiya at the entrance to the crypt of Metropolitan Laurus of blessed memory. In addition to Vladyka Laurus, the late abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Sergei (Romberg), who died on this day in 1992, was commemorated. Fr Sergei was a long-time ekonom (steward) of the monastery and a teacher at Holy Trinity Seminary.